must humble our selues euen belowe the ground in the acknowledgement of our sinnes comming to the Lord as it were with ropes about our neckes as Benhadad did to the King of Israel 1. King 20.32 But yet withall wee must craue the pardon of them And to this doth the Prophet exhort vs saying Hos 14.3 Take vnto you wordes and turne to the Lord and say vnto him Take away all iniquity and receiue vs graciously And boldly may wee doe this because the Lord hath proclaimed himselfe to be so mercifull Exod. 34.7 that hee forgiueth iniquitie and transgression and sinne that is sinnes of all sorts though neuer so hainous in their nature Now this could not Iudas performe Hee confessed and aggrauated his sinne against himselfe but hee had not the heart to giue one rappe at the dore of Gods mercy for the pardon of them And therefore the Lord might iustly say to him as once hee said to an other Of thine owne mouth will I iudge thee O thou euill seruant Luke 19.22 Last of all we must confesse our sinnes with a purpose to forsake them As the Prophet exhorteth Isa 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his waies and the vngodly his owne imaginations and returne vnto the Lord c. There must bee a desire to part with any sinne whatsoeuer else there is no true repentance But of this point enough hath beene spoken before in the repentance of Peter Vse 1. This doctrine serueth first for our instruction that if wee hope to speede better then Iudas did wee must confesse our sinnes better then hee did And that wee may doe it wee must first labour to see and acknowledge our sinnes a Quomodo culpam suam coÌ„fitebuntur quam nec essè putant Bern de grad humilit For how can a man confesse his sinnes when he thinketh them not to bee sinnes And therefore Dauid saith I know mine iniquities and my sinne is alway before mee Psalme 51.3 wee are apt to flatter our selues through selfe-loue and hardly are wee brought to take notice of our sinnes As wee can not see the spots that are in our owne faces so wee cannot discerne the sinnes of our owne soules In other mens sinnes wee are very quicke-sighted but in our owne wee are as blinde as Beetles And therefore in this case wee stand in neede of a glasse As proude persons vse their glasses to see their beautie so must wee vse the glasse of Gods law but to another end to shewe vs our deformitie VVee must therefore duely examine our selues by euery one of the Commandements that so wee may come to the sight of our sinnes And when once wee knowe our sinnes then without all dissembling wee must confesse them vnto God b Apparet toties opus miseraÌ„tis quoties fit coÌ„fessio poenitentis Aug. de vera falsa poenitent cap. 5. cap. 10. Quanto pluribus quis confitebitur in spe veniae turpitudinem criminis tanto facilius coÌ„sequitur misericordiam remissionis Homo per veritatem stimulatus peccata sua confitetur Deus autem per misericordiam slexus confitenti miseretur Omnis enim spes veniae misericordiae in confessione est Nec potest quis iustificari à peccato nisi prius fuerit confessus peccatum Bern. de conscien edif cap. 1. And so much the rather because otherwise there is no hope of pardon For this is the condition annexed vnto the promise of the pardon of our sinnes If wee acknowledge our sinnes hee is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes 1. Ioh. 1.9 And Salomon saith Hee that confesseth and forsaketh his sinnes shall haue mercy Prouerb 28.13 And the Apostle telleth vs that if wee would iudge our selues wee should not be iudged 1. Cor. 11.31 It is not with the Lord as it is in earthly Courts Confesse and be hanged No the Lord will not take vs at the aduantage and condemne vs by our owne confession but if wee confesse hee will forgiue if wee iudge and condemne our selues hee will acquite and discharge vs. To which purpose Bernard hath a sweete saying a Video Dauidem dicentem peccaui audientem Dominus transtulit peccatum tuum Considero Mariam si non verbis tamen operibus sua publicè crimina consitentem dominum pro ea raspondentem dimissa sunt ei multa peccata Respicio principem Apostolorum negantem timidè stentem amarissimè Dominum respicientem Iâ—â—um felicem Latronem intueor se accusantem Christum Dominum promittentem Hodie mecum eriâ— in Paradise O quam sublimis ista confessio per quam de patibulo ad regnum de terra ad caelum de cruce ad paradisum latro daÌ„natus crucifixus ascendit Ber. de vijs vitae Est apud Deum pium iudicem ipsa agnitio culpe impetratio veniae Bern. Meditat. cap. 11. Ante Dei conspectum cuncta peccata sunt scripta sed quod tibi scribit transgressio hic delet confessio Bern. de consc aedif cap. 38. I see Dauid saith hee saying I haue sinned and receiuing answere from the Prophet The Lord hath taken away thy sinne thou shalt not die I consider Mary Magdalen if not in word yet in deede confessing her sinne and the Lord answering in her behalfe Many sinnes are forgiuen her for shee loued much I behold the chiefe of the Apostles denying fearefully weeping bitterly and Christ looking backe vpon him with the eye of his mercie I see that blessed theefe accusing himselfe and Christ the Lord promising him This day shalt thou bee with me in Paradise Oh how notable was this confession wherby the theefe that was condemned and crucified ascended from the gallowes to a Kingdome from earth to heauen from the Crosse to Paradise This then is an high commendation of Gods mercie that when a man layeth open his sinne God couereth it when a man acknowledgeth his sinne God pardoneth it Besides if wee doe often confesse our sinnes vnto God it will not suffer us to goe farre nor to lye long in any sinne but will hunt it out before it be warme and setled in vs yea it will chaine vp the the vnrulinesse of our nature that it shall not breake out to the dishonour of God as otherwise it would Let vs therefore pursue our sinnes by this meanes and if wee desire to come to perfect health of our soules b Quicquid conscientiae stomachum grauat totum vomitu purae confessionis euomere ne differas Bern. ibid. cap. 56. whatsoeuer sinne doth surcharge the stomacke of the soule let vs not deferre to cast it vp by the vomit of a pure confession * Vse 2. Secondly this serueth for the iust reproofe of all those that will not confesse their sinnes Many will not confesse before God It is a corruption that wee all haue by kinde to dissemble our sinnes and to excuse our selues for them As Adam when he was examined posted the matter from himself to his
of moles frogges mice and hornets and such like creatures And thus much for the occasions of Peters sinne now it followeth to speake of the sinne it selfe But he denied c. This is the sinne of Peter that hee denyed his Master If our Sauiour Christ had beene but an ordinarie friend to the Apostle Peter it had beene too much for him to haue denied him in this manner For as Salomon saith Prou. 17.17 27.10 A friend loueth at all times and therefore he giueth counsell in this case Thine owne friend and thy fathers friend forsake not And hereupon when Hushaâ— Dauids friend had vnder a colour and by Dauids consent ioyned with Absalom the better to discouer to Dauid all his plots and purposes Absalom thinking hee had reuolted indeede 2. Sam. 16.17 entertaineth him in this maner Is this thy kindnesse to thy friend c. But Christ was not onely Peters friend but hee was his Master yea such a Master as had alwayes beene most kind vnto him and had continually graced him with his fauour For first Mat. 4.18.19 when as Peter by his calling was but a poore fisherman Christ called him to be one of his Disciples and made him a fisher of men Yea hee made him an Apostle which was the most high and honourable calling in the Church Besides our Sauiour neuer wrought any great miracle but Peter was alwaies admited to be present As when he raised vp Iairus his daughter Mark 5.37 He suffered no man to follow him but Peter and Iames and Iohn Mat. 17.1 And when he was transfigured in a glorious manner on the mount Peter was admitted to be a beholder of it Yea when he was in that grieuous Agony in the garden Peter was called to be a witnesse thereof He tooke Peter and the two sonnes of Zebedeus with him 26.37 All the rest of the Disciples were left at the doore Yea more then this he was euen his God and his Lord as himselfe had before confessed All this then doth aggrauate his sinne in that hauing seene our Sauiour worke so manie excellent miracles as to walke vpon the Sea with a word to still the rage of the winds with a word to heale all manner of diseases to restore strength to the lame sight to the blind yea and life to the dead all which conuinced him in his conscience that he was the Sonne of God yet notwithstanding he did so shamefully denie him a Nescio an in altero hoc genus peccati tanti ponderis esse possit in beatâ— Petro fuisse manifestum est Quisquis enim fortè in aliqua persecutione graui negauit filium Dei in comparatione Petri vâ—debitur leuius deliquisse si negauit quem non vidit si negauit quem non agnouit si negauit cui nihil promisit c. Optatus contra Donatist lib. 7. Doctr. Gods Children fall many times into grieuous sins If Peter had neuer seene nor knowne our Sauiour Christ if hee had neuer acknowledged and confessed him if hee had neuer promised him the contrarie it had beene something but now after all this to denie him it maketh his sinne so hainous as it is hard for any other man to commit the like This example of the Apostle Peters fearefull fall doth teach vs that there is no sinne so grieuous nor so hainous no wickednesse so odious and abhominable but euen the deare child of God being left to himselfe may fall into it except the sinne against the holy Ghost It is most true that there are the seedes of all sinne whatsoeuer naturally rooted and inbred in vs which if they bee not preuented are ready to breake out vpon any occasion that shal be offered Who would haue thought that the Apostle Peter b Petrus qui omnibus erat sanctitate praestantior amore deuotior fide robustior c. Christum negauit Bern. de câ—n dom serm 6. Iuc 7.37.38 Mar. 16.9 1. Tim. 1.13 Gal. 1.13 so excellent in grace so deuout in loue so strong in faith could euer haue beene brought to this passe to denie Christ Iesus after this manner So that hereby it is euident that in respect of their outward estate many times there is little or no difference betweene the child of God and a reprobate And this is true First before their conuersion to God When they liue in such grosse and notorious sinnes as they may seeme euen to be shackled by the foote with reprobates As may appeare in Mary Magdalen who before her conuersion was a common strumpet and possessed with seuen Deuils And in the Apostle Paul himselfe who as he confesseth before he was called Was a blasphemer a persecutor and an oppressor Yea hee persecuted the Church of God extreamely and made hauocke of it And hee saith of himselfe Act 26.11 and Titus and the rest of Gods children Tit. 3.3 Wee our selues also were in times past vnwise disobedient seruing lusts and diuerse pleasures liuing in maliciousnesse and enuie c. So likewise he putteth the Corinthians in minde 1. Cor. 6.9.10.11 what manner of persons they had beene before they were sanctifyed namely some of them had beene Idolaters Adulterers Buggerers Theeues Drunkards Ephes 2.1.2.3 and as wretched sinners as could bee And hee concludeth both of Iewes and Gentiles that whiles they remained vnregenerate 2. Tim. 2.19 they were by natuae no better then the children of wrath Indeed in respect of Gods decree there is great difference For the Lord Knoweth who are his though they be hid as it were ouer head and eares among reprobates but in respect of their outward conuersation there is no difference at all Neither is this any whit preiudiciall to their saluation Indeede if our saluation depended vpon any merits of ours as the Papists say then it were much materiall what manner of persons wee were But according to his mercie he saueth vs Tit. 3.4 as the Apostle saith without respect of any thing in vs whatsoeuer And therefore the Lord saith Isa 55.8 My thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your wayes my wayes When we bestow a benefit on a man we respect something or other in him but it is not so with God he both beginneth and perfecteth the worke of our saluation Ephes 1.5 6. according to the good pleasure of his own will and to the praise of the glory of his grace And indeede what can make more for the glory of God then this to saue a wretched a miserable sinner that neuer deserued any thing but hel fire Euen as the clemencie of a Prince appeareth most in pardoning the most capitall offenders and horrible Traitors Secondly this is true also euen after their conuersion when as many times they fall into such foule and enormous sinnes that for the present their outward conuersation is as bad as if they were reprobates And this appeareth plainely in this example of the Apostle Peter if
bonum vt si qui horum deuiant exorbitant etiaÌ„ hoc ipsum eis faciat proficere in bonum quia humiliores redeunt atque doctiores Petrus Magist Sentent lib. 1. Distinct 46 I. whereupon Saint Augustine is bold to affirme that it is profitable for them that ouerweene of themselues to fall into some grosse and notorious sinne that thereby they may be out of loue with themselues as before by thinking too well of themselues they had fallen And he bringeth in the example of Peter for a proofe of it who as he saith was more profitably displeased with himselfe when he wept then he was pleased with himselfe when hee presumed according to that in the Psalme which hee also alleageth Fill their faces with shame that they may seeke thy name O Lord. This is farre from the Deuils purpose when he tempted vs to sinne and yet see how the goodnesse of God ordereth and disposeth of it for our benefite The Deuill may in this case be fitly a Pherco â—asoni profuit hostis qui gladio â—omicam eius aperuit quam sanare medici non potorant compared to that combattant of whom we read that ranne with his sword against his aduersarie thinking to haue runne him through but Gods prouidence secretly guiding his hand he opened an impostume which no Phisitions could heale and so thinking to kill him he preserued his life So the Deuill in great rage thrusteth sore at Gods children seeking to wound them to death by some notorious fall yet by the gracious dispensation of God he is so farre from hurting them as that by this meanes hee launcheth and letteth out their vlcers of priuy pride and ouerweening of themselues So that for all his fury he is but a Surgeon to heale our corruptions Whereunto agreeth that sweet saying of Augustine b Nescit diabolus quomodo illo insidiante surente vtatur ad salutem fidelium excelsifima saâ—entia Dei de Trinit lib. 4. cap 13. Little knoweth the Deuill how the wonderfull wisdome of God vseth his malice and rage to the saluation of the faithfull And Bernard saith to the same purpose c Nequissimus ille seruns filijs seruit vel inuitus Quid ei tam molestum quid nobis esse poterat tam iâ— cundum quam vt etiam malum eius nobis cooperetur in bonum Bern. in Psal 91. serm 11. Rom 5.20 Luke 7 47. Multi magni sunt languores mei multi magni sed amplior est medicina tua Aug. confess lib. 10. That lewd seruant meaning the Deuill doth seruice vnto Gods children full sore against his will What could be so greiuous to him so pleasant and comfortable to vs as that his euill should worke for our good Secondly it letteth vs see the exceeding goodnesse and bountifulnesse of God in pardoning and forgiuing great sinnes to the end that when wee shall finde that where sinne abounded in vs there grace abounded much more in the Lord wee may be prouoked to loue him the more as our Sauiour testified of the poore woman that washed his feet with her teares and wiped them with the haires of her head Many sinnes are forgiuen her for she loued much As a man cannot chuse but loue the Phisition that hath recouered him from some dangerous sickenesse so we cannot chuse but loue the Lord who in mercy forgiueth all our sins healeth all our infirmities Psal 103.3 Thirdly it maketh vs more wary for the time to come least wee should fâ—ll into greater sinnes As he that hath caught a fall taketh better heed to his steppes so the childe of God hauing fallen into one sinne is made more heedfull that hee fall not further He will thinke with himselfe I haue fallen into this sinne I may fall into a greater sinne if I be not circumspect Psal 39.2 and therefore hee resolueth with Dauid to take heed to his wayes that he offend not Fourthly it causeth vs to runne forward with more speede As he that runneth in a race or trauelleth in a iourney if hee happes to fall he will not lye long but will rise againe with speede and bestirre himselfe the faster that he may not be hundred or cast behind Last of all it letteth vs see our owne inability that despairing of our owne strength we may more earnestly craue the assistance of Gods grace As Dauid after that fearefull fall of his Psal 51 1â— 86.11 sawe the corruption and weakenes of his nature and therefore prayeth vnto God to stablish him with his free spirit yea to knit and as it were to chaine his heart vnto him that hee might feare his name O magnum donum quod in poenam dedit Deus insalutem vertit Chrysost So that we see how rich the Lord is in his mercy to his children that causeth euen their sinnes which in themselues are damnable to turn to the furtherance of their saluation But howsoeuer the children of God doe many times fall fearefully and grieuously yet this is their comfort they can neuer fall totally nor finally from the grace of God It is true there may be a great decay and eclipse of grace but yet it is so rooted in the heart as it can neuer vtterly be lost Indeed the most godly man that liueth may commit such sinnes as by the due desert of them hee might loose his prerogatiue of being the child of God but yet in regard of Gods election and free grace of adoption hee remaineth still the child of God For the Lord is not fickle and inconstant in his loue Iam. 1.17 Iohn 13.1 to loue a man to day and to cast him off to morrowe No there is no variablenesse nor shadow of change in him And therefore as our Sauiour Christ saith whome hee loueth once he loueth to the end Besides in his greatest fals the seeds of Gods grace remaine in his heart whereby hee is preserued from finall apostacy as the Apostle saith 1. John 3.9 John 4 14. He that is borne of God sinnet â— not for his seed remaineth in him And our Sauiour saith 7.38 whosoeuer drinketh of the water that I shall giue him shall neuer be more a thirst but the water that I shall giue him shall be in him a well of water springing vp into euerlasting life Aâ—d in another place He that beleueth in me out of his belly shall flow riuers of waters of life So that the graces of God in his children are not like those brookes whereunto Iob compareth his friends that runne like riuers in winter but are dried vp with heat in summer and faile out of their places but they are such as spring continually and are neuer dried vp till they haue brought a man to life euerlasting For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Rom. 11.29 Iohn 5.24 Againe our Sauiour Christ saith Hee that beleeueth hath already passed from death to life So that if
in them without repentance a long while yet in the end hauing compassion on him Psal 103.13 as a tender hearted father hath compassion on his children he sent the Prophet Nathan to him to awake him out of his sinne and to call him to repentance And afterwards when his heart was lifted vp by reason of the strength of his people 2 Sam. 24.10.11.12 that hee must needs haue them numbred the Lord caused first his owne heart to smite him and then sent the Prophet Gad vnto him to humble him for the same Yea the Lord is so rich in mercy that he offereth this grace euen to the wicked also though they in their prophanesse contemne and reiect the same When Caines heart boyled with malice against his brother Abel the Lord said enough to him if hee had had grace to haue preuented any further mischiefe Gene. 4.6.7 Why art thou wroth saith he and why is thy countenance cast downe If thou doe well shalt thou not be accepted c. And after hee had slaine him indeed the Lord left him not 9.10 but laboured to bring him to remorse when he asked him what was become of his brother and told him that his bloud cried vnto him from the earth Gene. 6.3 When the Lord had purposed to destroy the olde world because the wickednesse thereof was very great hee did first vse all meanes to reclaime them He gaue them an hundred and twentie yeeres to repent in and in the meane while sent Noah a Preacher of righteousnesse 2. Pet. 2.5 Heb. 11.7 to forewarne them of the danger both by verball and also visible Preaching in making an Arke for the sauing of himselfe and his houshold So hee dealt with the filthy Sodomites Gene. 19. c. placing iust Lot among them to labour their conuersion if it might be When Saul had stubbornely transgressed the commaundements of the Lord and had thereby caused him to reiect him yet hee left him not so 1. Sam. 15.16.17 c. but sent Samuel to put him in mind of the heinousnesse of his sinne When Ahab by horrible crueltie had bereft poore Nabaoth of his life and liuing 1. King 21.18.19 the Lord sent Elias the Prophet to reproue him and to aggrauate his sinne against him that so hee might be humbled In a word the Lord offered his mercie to Iudas Iohn 13.26 when as before euer hee had effected any thing our Sauiour put him in mind of the horriblenesse of his bloudy thoughts against him making it manifest that hee was the man that should betray him If the Lord bee thus mercifull to make so large a proffer of his grace to such as he knoweth will despise it how much more will hee offer the same to his children who will thankfully embrace it And hereof we haue yet a most liuely example in Adam Gen. 3.6.8.9.15 and the Lords dealing with him When hee had disobeyed the commaundement of God in eating the forbidden fruit and perceiued that thereby he had forfeited that excellent glory of his creation for shame and feare hee was ready to runne away from God if it had beene possible But the Lord would not loose him for all that but sought him out in the garden and preached vnto him the glad tydings of saluation by Iesus Christ And hence is it that Dauid saith Psal 121.4 Hee that keepeth Israel doth neither slumber nor sleepe but continually watcheth for the preseruation of their soules and therefore vseth all good meanes whereby it may be effected As heere the crowing of the Cocke was a meanes to bring Peter to the sight of his sinne Mat. 26.34 for this was the signe that our Sauiour had giuen him of his deniall that before the cocke crewe hee should denie him thrice And it was so much the more effectuall because it fell out in the very moment and instant of his sinne He had no sooner denied his Master but as the Euangelist saith here immediatly the cocke crewe Yea Saint Luke saith that it was done before the worde was out of his mouth And immediatly Luke 22.60 saith hee Whiles hee yet spake the cocke crewe Now hereby are signified all outwarde meanes whatsoeuer they bee which God vseth to awake vs out of our sinnes that shaking off that drowsinesse which for the most part possesseth the flesh wee may bethinke our selues of our sinnes and of the wrath of God due vnto them and of some course to pacifie the same Which meanes if the Lord shoulde not vse towardes vs wee woulde for euer lie securely in our sinnes and thinke our selues in best case when our saluation is in greatest danger Many and diuerse are the meanes which it pleaseth the Lord to vse for this purpose As first and chiefely the Ministrie of his word Matth. 3.3 Jsa 58.1 Prou. 1.20.21 c. 8.1.2.3 c. 9.1.2.3 c. Hee sendeth his Misters as cryers as Iohn Baptist saith of himselfe commaunding them to crie aloud and to lift vp their voices like trumpets to preach the Doctrine of repentance and to tell the people of their sinnes And Salomon in many places bringeth in Christ Iesus the wisedome of God sometimes crying alowd in his owne person sometimes sending his messengers to summon men to repentance And for this cause the Apostle saith Ephes 4.11.12 that the Lord hath furnished Ministers with gifts for the worke of the Ministerie euen for the gathering together of the Saints and the aedification of the body of Christ Iesus 2. Sam. 12.1 24.1 Thus dealt the Lord with Dauid as wee haue heard before sending the Prophets Nathan and Gad vnto him after his two great sinnes to bring him to the sight of his sinne 2. Chron. 36.14.15 And thus dealt he with the rebellious Israelits when they had trespassed wonderfullie against him he had compassion on them and sent to them by his messengers to call them to repentance Yea hee sent the Prophet Ionah to preach repentance to the Niniuites Ion. 3.4 And hence is it that the Apostle calleth the Ministrie of the word Rom. 1.16 the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleeueth And howsoeuer the wisemen of the world doe account it no better then foolishnesse 1. Cor. 1.23.21 yet it hath pleased God euen by that foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleeue Secondly the manifolde blessings and benefits wherewith he daily ladeth vs Psal 68.18 Lam. 3.23 and which he renueth towardes vs euery morning As there is neuer a one of vs that haue not good experience hereof continually both in our soules and in our bodies How liberally and bountifully doth the Lord sustaine and feede vs from time to time How carefully doth the eye of his prouidence watch ouer vs and how powerfully doth the hand of his mightie protection preserue vs from many dangers wherein by reason of our sinnes wee might haue perished
suddenly they goe downe the graue as Iob saith and are cropt off as an eare of corne Haue wee not examples euery day almost of some that go well to bed at night and are sound dead in the morning and of others that droppe downe by the high way side and dye in the field As the candle burneth bright for a time but if one blast of wind come ouer it it is put out and there remaineth nothing but a stinking snuffe so many a man flourisheth for a while but in a moment God taketh away his breath and there remaineth nothing but a filthy stinke of his sinnes whereof hee had not repented Wee may not take vpon vs to determine peremptorily of such Rom. 11.33 because the iudgements of God are vnsearchable and his waies past finding out But yet the case is fearefull and that which befalleth one may befall another Death is fitly compared to an Archer For as the Archer somtimes shooteth ouer and sometimes short sometimes on the one hand and sometimes on the other but at last he hitteth the marke In like manner death sometimes shooteth ouer thee and hitteth thy superiours sometimes hee shooteth short and hitteth thy inferiors sometimes he shooteth on thy right hand and taketh away thy friends somtimes on thy left hand and killeth thy enemies Arist problem loc 34. Omnem crede diem tibi dilux isse supremum Grata superueniet quae non sperabitur hora. Horat. l. 1. Epi. 4. but at the last he wil hitte thy selfe thou knowest not how soone And therefore it was good counsell that Eleazar the Iew gaue to one that asked his aduise in this case Namely that a man should repent one day before his death and when the other replyed that no man knoweth saith he the day of his death therefore saith hee repent to day least it be too late to morrow But suppose that this doe not befall them but that they dye an ordinary death yet for the most part there are so many hinderances in sicknesse Quoniam multa sunt quae impediunt languentem retrahant periculosissimum est interitui vicinum ad mortem protrahere remedium Aug. de vera falsa paenitentia cap. 17. as a man can haue but little leasure for this businesse For besides the painefulnesse of the disease which is no small impediment in this case a man shal be so accombred with taking order for his worldly estate and so vexed and disquieted with the weeping and wailing of his freinds that hee can little attend to thinke of his soule And therefore Saint Augustine saith well that seeing there are so many pulbackes to hinder a man at that time it is most dangerous and neare to destruction to put off the remedy vntill death But bee it that hee preuent much of this trouble in his health by setting his house in order before hand as the Prophet Isaias commaunded King Hezekiah 2. Kings 20.1 yet many times by the iudgement of God vpon him he dyeth suddenly bereft of all sense and feeling of his sinnes and of all comfortable assurance of the pardon of them and possest with dulnesse of heart and drowsinesse of spirit As one saith well a Saepe moriens obliuiscitur sui qui dum viueret oblitus est Dei 1. Sam. 25.37.38 A man oftentimes forgetteth himselfe when hee lyeth a dying that forgot God while hee liued Thus was it with Nabal his heart dyed within him and hee was like a stone he had a faire time as wee say hee lay sicke tenne dayes after before he dyed But how could hee repent when his heart was dead before Our times are full of such And I feare mee it is the case of a number of those whose death the world so much admireth and commendeth that they dye like lambes I wish they dye not rather like blocks giuing no comfortable testimonie of their faith in Christ or sorrow for their sinnes And such are they that Dauid speaketh of that there is no bands in their death Psal 73 4.19 but they depart as meekly or as stil as a child in the cradle and yet for all that he saith they are suddainly destroyed and horribly consumed Yea our Sauiour hath taught vs that a man may haue good wordes in his mouth and call vpon God and yet goe to the Deuill Mat. 7.22.23 Last of all though hee escape all these dangers yet who can tell whether God will heare him when he cryeth at the last gapse or no b Iustum est vt a Deo contemnatur moriens qui Deum omnipotentem contempsit viuens Prou. 1.24.28 Quid enim quod differas An vt plura peccata committus Ambros de penitent lib. 2. cap. 11. For is it not a iust thing that God should contemne him in his death that contemned God almightie in his life And hath not the Lord threatned in plaine tearmes that because hee hath called and men refuse and hath stretched out his armes and none would regard therefore they shall call and crie vpon him euen till their hearts ake and he will not heare them And therefore let vs not deferre this so gratious a worke but presently addresse our selues to repent of our sinnes otherwise the longer wee put it off the more wee shall increase the number of our sinnes But notwithstanding al that hath beene said it is strange to see how the most men labour to confirme themselues and to harden their heartes in their sinnes And all because God is mercifull It is true indeed that God is rich in mercy Ephes 2.4 Yea his mercies are ouer all his workes Psal 145.9 And therefore if men would make a right vse thereof they should rather bee led to repentance thereby then any way setled in securitie Romans 2.4 For as Bernard saith well a Quae maior iniquitas quam vt inde à te creator contemnatur vnde plus amari merebatur Quae maior iniquitas quam cum de potentia Dei non dubitas quinte destruere possit qui condere potuit confisus tamen de multa eius dulcedine qua speras eum nolle vindicare cum possit malum pro bonis odium pro dilectione retri buas Certè si talis est qualem putas tantò nequius agis si non amas c. Ab sit tamen ab eius perfectione vt quod dulcis est iustus non sit quasi simul dulcis iustus esse non possit cum mel or sit iusta dulcedo quam remissa imò virtus non sit dulcedo sine iustitia Bern. de gradib humilitatis what greater iniquity can there be then that thy creatour should for that bee contemned of thee for which he deserued more to be loued What greater iniquitie can there bee then that seeing thou doubtest not of Gods power but that he that made thee is able to destroy thee yet thou trusting in his great mercy whereby thou hopest that though hee can hee will
Christ inuiteth all them that labour and are laden Implying that where sinne is rightly felt it is a heauy and a wearisome lode And no doubt this was it Luke 18.13 that made the poore Publicane expresse such tokens of griefe and shame for his sinnes when hee durst not lift vp so much as his eies to heauen but smote his breast saying O God be mercifull to me a sinner Aug. de vera falsa poenit c. 14. And indeede if a man shall consider the quality of his sinne and aggrauate it by the circumstances of time and place and by his continuance in it and shall call to mind vpon how light temptation he was brought to commit it and how oft hee hath iterated the same he cannot choose but euen groane in godly sorrow vnder the burden thereof a Non laborat exonerari peccato cui non videtur nimium Aug. ibid. cap. 2 Quanto magis quis intelligit mala sua tanto amplius suspirat gemit Aug. de contritione cordis Otherwise if a man be not thus conceited of his sinne he will neuer sorrow for it nor sigh to be disburdened of it Hee that shall thinke his time to be as light as a feather and neuer seeth any hurt that commeth by it no maruell if it neuer grieue him Secondly without sorrow for sinne there can bee no true repentance It is in vaine for men to say they repent euery day they rise and yet neuer shew any token of remorse It may bee vpon some occasion they may cease the committing of sinne but till their hearts bee broken with sorrow Gen. 37.28 42.21 they neuer repent of it Iosephs brethren had left their cruelty towards their brother for many yeares yet they neuer repented of it indeede till by his rough handling of them in Egypt they were brought to the sight of their sinne Sam. 11. 12 and touched with sorrow for the same And Dauid though hee had giuen ouer his adultery yet hee neuer repented of it before Nathan awaked him by denouncing the iudgement of God against him Yea such as are destitute of godly sorrow are so farre from repenting of their sinnes that whensoeuer any occasion is offered they are ready to fall into them againe though in some carnall respect for a time they haue forborne them Thirdly without this sorrow there can be no sound comfort we must neuer looke to feele comfort in the forgiuenesse of our sinnes vnlesse withall we haue our hearts possessed with sorrow for committing of them The Lord will not impart the least droppe of his mercy to any which haue not first beene baptized with the baptisme of their owne teares There were neuer any of Gods children throughly comforted but they were first humbled For God is not like a foolish Phisitian that will apply a medicine where there is no disease nor like a foolish Surgeon that will lay a plaister where there is no sore But the conscience must first be wounded with a sense of sinne Hos 6.1 before the Lord will powre in the Oile of his mercy to heale the same Mat. 9.12 For as our Sauiour saith They that bee whole neede not a Phisitian but they that are sicke And therefore he promiseth ease and refreshment only to such as are weary and laden with the burden of their sinnes Et 11.28 Dauid first with bitternesse of heart confessed his sinnes before Nathan gaue him any hope of the pardon of them 2. Sam. 12.13.14 And they that were conuerted by Saint Peters Sermon were first pricked in their hearts with remorse for their sinnes before the Apostle ministred one word of comfort to them Zech. 13.1 12.10 The Prophet Zechariah saith that there shall bee a fountaine opened for sinne and vncleannesse But who are they that shall haue the benefit of it only such as doe mourne exceedingly for their sinnes As there is no sinne so great but by repentance and godly sorrow it is pardonable so there is no sinne so little but without repentance it is damnable y Aut continui dolores cruciabunt poenitentem vitam meam aut cruciatus aeterni vexabunt puniendam ammam meam Necesse est peccatorem flere vel hic vel in futuro Aug. de contrit cordis in oratione Psal 51.17 Either continuall sorrowes must afflict a mans penitent life or else eternall torments shall vexe his damnable soule And of necessity a sinner must weepe either here or elsewhere Last of all this godly sorrow for sinne is most pleasing and acceptable vnto God as Dauid saith The sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit a contrite and a broken heart O God thou wilt not despise Whereupon St. Augustine saith z Intucamur que madmodum vbi Deum dixit nolle sacrificium ibidem Deum ostendit velle sacrificium Non vult ergo sacrificium trucidati pecoris sed vult sacrificium contriti cordis De ciuit Dei lib. 10. cap. 5. Isa 66.2 Psal 56.8 Apoc. 21.4 Let vs consider in what sense where he hath said that God will haue no sacrifice in the same place hee sheweth that God will haue sacrifice He will not then haue the sacrifice of a slaughtered beast but hee will haue the sacrifice of a contrite heart And indeede this is the chiefest sacrifice of all other And therefore the Lord hath promised especially to haue respect to him that is of a contrite heart Yea the Lord taketh such pleasure in a man thus affected as there is neuer a teare falleth from his eies in remorse for his sinnes but presently hee putteth them in his bottle and at the day of iudgement he will wipe all teares from the eies of his children And therefore wee must labour to bee sorrowfull and not suffer any sinne to escape vs without some remorse Secondly this doctrine serueth to reproue them that are Vse 2 so hard hearted and b Siccoculum genus pumiccos oculos habent nequeunt lachrymam exorare vt expuant vnam modo Plaut in Pseudolo Act. x. scae 1. so drie eyed that they cannot grieue for their sinnes nor wring out one teare of true repentance for their misdeedes Howsoeuer in other matters they haue teares at command and in any worldly crosse or calamity they take on and weepe as Rahel did for her children and will not be comforted Mat. 2.18 Isa 22.4 yet in this case when they should mourne for their sinnes euery teare is as bigge as a milstone there is no remorse no compunction nor touch of heart at all c Deucaliō va cuum lapides iactauit in orbem vnde homines nati durum genus Virg. Georg. lib. 1. No their hearts are as strong as a stone and as hard as the nether milstone as Iob speaketh of Leuiathan Iob 41.15 they cannot sorrow d Gualt in Zech. 7.12 homil 14. As the Adamant is of such an inuincible hardnesse that it cannot be softened neither with the
the captiue and recouering of sight to the blind c. Luke 4.18 Hee must bee like that good Samaritaine seeing men wounded in their consciences hee must bind vp their wounds Luke 10.33.34 and powre in wine and oile to supple them and refresh them He is a Physician for mens soules and therefore he must apply vnto them the blame of Gilead Iere. 8.22 euen the sweete comforts of the Gospell that the health of Gods disttessed people may bee recouered If it be the duety of all Christians to comfort the feeble minded 1. Thes 5.14 as the Apostle exhorteth much more doth it appertaine to the Ministers of the word that are chiefly set apart thereunto Yea it is ooe principall part of Prophesie 1. Cor. 14.3 that is the Ministerie of the word Hee that prophesieth saith the Apostle speaketh vnto men Rom. 15.4 to edifying and to exhortation and to comfort As it is one propertie of the word to minister comfort as the Apostle saith VVhatsoeuer things are written aforetime are written for our learning that wee through patience and comfort of the Scripture might haue hope Psal 19.8 and Dauid saith The statutes of the Lord are right and reioyce the heart So the Minister must apply it in such sort as it may haue this comfortable effect in the heartes of those that stand in neede of it 1. Sam. 1.9 For this cause Eli the Priest sate vpon a stoole at the doore of the Tabernacle that he might be ready at all times to performe this duety Acts 9.17 16.28 c. Thus did Ananias comforte the Apostle Paul being exceedingly cast downe with the vision which he had seene And thus did Paul and Silas comforte the Iayler that was ready in the horrour of his conscience to make away himselfe Vse 1 This doctrine serueth first for the reproofe of all such Ministers as will not performe this duety but rather take pleasure in cutting and launcing in wounding and afflicting the poore consciences of men It is true wee cannot bee too seuere against obstinate and impenitent sinners but yet when it appeareth that they are humbled for their sinnes then they are to bee comforted and raysed vp If a Chyrurgion doe onely cut and launce mens sores and neuer bind them vp if he onely apply corrasiues and no lenitiues he is rather a Butcher then a Chyrurgion In like manner if a Minister doe onely beate men downe with the terrours of the law and neuer labour to rayse them vp with the comforts of the Gospell he is an hangman and an executioner rather then a Minister And therefore wee must labour to take a right course in administring the word We must not preach the lawe alone nor the Gospell alone but both together and yet both in their right order The law must goe before to beat downe the pride of mens hearts and the Gospell must follow after to minister comfort vnto them VVhen Nathan had throughly humbled King Dauid 2. Sam. 12.13 with denouncing Gods iudgements against him for his sinnes then hee spake peace vnto him againe saying The Lord hath put away thy sinne thou shalt not die Act. 2.37.28 c. When the Apostle Peter saw the effect of his Sermon that it had pricked and wounded the people in their hearts hee was most ready to comfort them againe with the promises of mercy Vse 2 Secondly this doctrine also serueth to teproue all those that haue no abilitie to performe this duety A number God knowes are ignorant persons of no gifts for this worke of the Lord and besides are so giuen ouer to the world as they haue no desire to come to knowledge So long as they may eate the fat Ezech. 34.3 and cloth themselues with the wooll they care not what becommeth of the poore sheepe They haue more regard of the gaine of riches a Apud eos non animarum salus sed lucrum quaeritur diuitiarum Bern. in Psal 91. Serm. 5. as one saith then of the saluation of mens soules But alas this intollerable defect neuer sheweth it selfe more shamefully or with greater hurt then when men stand most in neede of spirituall comfort namely at the houre of death or in the time of some great affliction For as shepheards that want skill to helpe a poore sheepe out of the ditch cut his throat in time to make it mans meate that it may not bee said it died in a ditch so these miserable comforters are driuen to take some indirect course whereby for want of knowledge they slay many a poore soule And thus in many places are the miserable and desperate calamities of the people prouided for when their necessitie doth most of all require better comfort Vse 3 Thirdly it serueth to admonish all of vs that bee Ministers of the word to labour diligently in this behalfe that we may releeue the distresses of Gods people Euery Minister of God should bee an Interpreter Iob. 33.23 2. Cor. 5.19 as Iob saith able to deliuer aright the reconciliation made betwixt God and man the word whereof is committed vnto him able to open the couenant of grace and rightly to lay downe the meanes how this reconciliation is wrought and to apply the same accordingly and so to declare to man his righteousnesse that is to say as that reuerend and worthy man of blessed memory Master Perkins doth expound it when a poore sinner by his sinnes is brought downe to the gates of hell and by the preaching of the law to a true sight of his misery then it is the duty of a Minister to declare to him his righteousnesse namely that howsoeuer in himselfe he be as he is as foule as sinne can make him and the law can discouer him to bee yet in Christ hee is righteous and by Christ so iustified as hee is no more a sinner in Gods account and also to maintaine the same for the quiet of his conscience against all the power of darknesse whatsoeuer Now this cannot be done without a speciall gift from God And therefore we are to pray earnestly vnto him that the knowledge of Christ Iesus and of heauenly things may not onely swimme in our braines but may also bee engrauen in our heartes and imprinted in our soules by the finger of God 2. Cor. 1.4 that so wee may bee able to comfort them that are in affliction out of the feeling of our owne heartes euen by the comfort wherewith wee our selues are comforted of God See thou to it The cheife Priests are so farre from comforting Iudas in his distresse that they doe rather despise him and in a manner laugh him to scorne They hired him and set him on worke Doct. Traitours are hated euen of those that haue benefit by thē and yet now that they haue effected what they would they doe not respect him Where we may obserue the iust reward and punishment of traytours they are odious euen to them
hee that distrusteth and compareth his wickednesse to Gods goodnesse putteth an end to the power of God limiting that which is infinite and taking away from God the perfection of his deitie Fourthly for his iustice for as much as it is fully satisfied in Christ Iesus who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his body on the tree and was wounded for our transgressions and broken for our sinnes and vpon whom the Lord hath laid the iniquitie of vs all hee should be very vniust if hee should not forgiue them vnto vs. If a man be indebted and not able to pay the debt if his suretie discharge it for him and cancell the bond there is no reason the creditour should exact it againe In like manner Christ our suretie hauing paid that debt which wee ought to the wrath of God and hauing cancelled the handwriting that was against vs it cannot now stand with Gods iustice to demaund the debt any more of vs. And therefore the Apostle saith that if we confesse our sinnes as God is faithfull in regard of his promise so hee is iust also to forgiue vs our sinnes he will stand to that satisfaction which Christ hath made vnto his iustice Last of all for his mercy it is vnspeakable Dauid saith 1. Chro. 21.13 Nehem. 9.17 his mercies are exceeding great And Nehemiah in his praier calleth him a God of mercies gracious and full of compassion of long suffering and of great mercy And Dauid saith Psal 17.7 25.6 36.5 103.11 145.9 Ephes 2.4 Psal 51.1 Isa 55.7 his mercies are maruelous they are tender mercies Yea so large as they reach vp to the heauens and as high as the heauens are aboue the earth so great is his mercy toward them that feare him Yea his mercies are ouer all his workes He is rich in mercy Yea he hath a multitude of mercies And therefore the Prophet exhorting the wicked to forsake his waies and to returne to the Lord he vseth this as a reason to perswade them because hee will haue mercy vpon him for such is his gracious disposition that he is very readie to forgiue A liuely type whereof wee haue in the Father of the prodigall Sonne who though his sonne had greatly offended him by his former riotous courses yet assoone as hee was comming to acknowledge his fault and to seeke to be reconciled vnto him his father was so compassionate and so tender hearted towards him that he could not tarry till he came at him but ranne to meet him and when he saw him he did not loath him for his rags and tatters but fell vpon his necke and kissed him Luke 15.20 So likewise though we haue neuer so much displeased the Lord by our sinnes yet if we humble our selues before him by vnfained repentance he will not abhorre vs though we be neuer so wretched but wil receiue vs graciously into fauour againe And therefore as one saith well to this purpose a Quis non videat quaÌ„ sit impium quamque sacrilegum si homini per poenitetiam praeteritorii malorum ad bona conuerso credatur cuiusque peccati dari non posse remissioneÌ„ Si peritus est medicus noster omnes potest infirmitates nostras sanare si misericors Deus noster vniuersa potest peccata dimittere Non est perfecta bonitas à qua non omnis malitia vincitur nec est perfecta medicina cui morbus aliquis meurâ—ibilis inuenitur Fulgent ad Venant Epist 7. who seeth not how wicked sacrilegious a thing it is to thinke that if a man turne to God by repentance for his sinnes past he cannot be forgiuen If our Phisitian be skilfull hee is able to heale all our infirmities if our God bee mercifull hee is able to forgiue all our sinnes It is not perfect goodnesse which cannot subdue all wickednesse nor it is not perfect phisicke to which any disease is found incurable alluding to that saying of Dauid Psal 103.3 And a little after he saith b Qualecunque sit peccatum à Deo quidem potest remitti conuerso sed ille sibi remitti non sinit qui desperando contra se indulgentiae ostium clauscrit Ibid. Whatsoeuer the sinne bee God is able to forgiue it to him that repenteth But hee will not suffer his sinne to bee pardoned who by despairing shutteth vp the dore of mercy against himselfe For it is the promise of our Sauiour Christ Mat. 7.7 Aske and it shall be giuen you seeke and yee shall finde knocke and it shall bee opened And a little after c Iustus est Deus misericors Sicut ergo potest per iustitiam danare auersum sic potest per misericordia semper saluare conuersum Nulla prolixitas temporis vel acquitati diuinae vel pietati praeiudicat Si diuturnitas peccatorum Dei vinceret misericordiam non in aetate mundi nouissima Christus veniret vt peccatum mundi pereuntis auferret Ibid. Mat. 6.12 Luke 17.4 Mat. 18.22 Exod. 34.6.7 Iam. 1.17 Psal 103.13 God is iust and mercifull and therefore as by his iustice he can condemne a sinner so by his mercy hee can alwaies saue him that conuerteth There is no length of time that can bee preiudiciall to the iustice or mercy of God If long continuance of sinne could ouercome the mercy of God Christ would not haue come in the last age of the world to take away the sinnes of the world that was ready to perish Our Sauiour himselfe hath taught vs in the Lords praier euery day to craue the pardon of our daily sinnes whatsoeuer they bee and how oft soeuer they haue beene committed And no doubt hee that hath commanded vs to forgiue one another seuen times a day yea seuentie times seuen times will much more forgiue vs as often as by sound and heartie repentance we turne vnto him And this the Lord himselfe declareth when he proclaimeth his name before Moses For there he calleth himselfe the Lord Iehouah constant in his loue to vs ward alwaies abiding the same in whom is no variablenesse nor shadowing by turning Strong and therefore euery way able to worke our saluation in despight of all the enemies thereof Mercifull bearing euen the affection of a tender mother towards her child As there needeth no eloquence to perswade a mother to pittie her owne child so there needeth no perswasions to moue the Lord to take compassion on vs as Dauid saith As a father hath compassion on his children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him Rom. 4.5 Gracious though we in our selues be most vnworthy he stayeth not till we deserue his loue but as the Apostle saith he preuenteth vs Iustifying vs freely by his grace when we are vngodly he can finde matter in his owne nature and in the merits of Christ to loue vs Micah 7.18 though he find none in our selues Slow to anger though we prouoke him daily by our sinnes yet hee
Other mens ruines should bee your examples Now to the end that wee may not abuse these examples of Gods children to the incouraging of our selues in sinne let vs consider first that this was no ordinarie thing with them to fall in this manner It is testified of Dauid euen by the Lord himselfe that hee did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the dayes of his life saue onely in the matter of Vriah 1. King 15.5 Dauid then made no occupation of sinning So wee doe not reade that euer Peter denied Christ Iesus any more no hee was most constant in confessing of his name euen vnto death Neither doe wee reade that Noah or Lot were euer ouertaken with drunkennesse againe And therefore the examples of their falles can bee no incouragement to them that continually adde sinne to sinne making whoredome and drunkennesse and such like horrible sinnes their ordinarie trade and common practise These men sinned indeede but it was of infirmitie through the violence of temptation and they did not lie along in their sinne but renued their repentance with griefe of heart and therefore God receiued them to mercy and forgaue them their sinnes But this is nothing to thee whosoeuer thou art that sinnest presumptuously with an high band and liuest and lyest in thy sinne impenitently God hath no mercy for thee so long as thou continuest in this estate Againe for our selues let vs consider what hurt wee receiue whensoeuer wee fall into any sinne For first of all that spirituall comfort and ioy in the holy Ghost which once wee felt 1. Pet. 1.8 and which before was in vs vnspeakeable and glorious vanisheth away and our soules are filled with horrour by reason of Gods displeasure and the conscience is made euen the picture of hell And therefore Dauid after his grieuous fall Psal 51.11.8 desireth the Lord to restore to him the ioy of his saluation And a little before in the same Psalme hee saith Make me to heare of ioy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may reioyce Insinuating that the the horrour of conscience that followeth vpon the committing of sinnes is like the breaking of a mans bones which is the greatest paine that can be Yea hee saith in an other Psalme Psal 130.1 Out of the deepe places haue I called vnto thee O Lord as though for the time hee had beene in the bottome of hell Secondly wee are made vnfit to any thing that is good so that till we be restored againe by repentance wee are made vnprofitable burdens of the earth There is no cheerefulnesse in Prayer no life in hearing the word no delight in receiuing the Lords supper Our soules are dull and lumpish within vs as if they were buried in the bottome of a dunghill that we cannot lift them vp with any feruencie in the performance of any holy duetie Thirdly on the other side we are made most apt and ready to runne into any sinne Whiles we lie impenitent in any transgression the deuill cannot offer a tentation to vs but wee are ready to yeeld as may appeare in this example of Peter as wee shall see afterward Fourthly we are sure to smart for it for God will correct vs with one rod or other till we bee throughly humbled as the Lord said to Dauid If thy children forsake my Law Psal 89.30.31.32 and walke not in my iudgements if they breake my statutes and keepe not my commandements Then will I visite their transgression with the rod and their iniquitie with scourges What a griefe thinke we Gen. 9.22.25 was it to Noah by reason of his sinne to become a laughing stocke to his owne sonne What a heart breaking was it to Dauid to bee thrust out of his Kingdome by Absalom his owne darling 2. Sam. 15.30 It is said that when he fled from him hee had his head couered and went barefooted and wept as he went Better were it therefore for a man to want all the pleasure that his sinnes can affoord then to endure the smart and shame that followeth after as the Apostle saith What fruite had yee then in those things whereof yee are now ashamed Rom. 6.21 Last of all when a man by his sinnes hath lost the feeling of Gods fauour it is hard to recouer it againe Peter wept bitterly Dauid crieth earnestly yea he caused his bed euery night to swim and watered his couch with his teares So will it be with thee whosoeuer thou art that hast by thy sinne lost the fauour of God it will cost thee many a broken sleepe many an aking heart and many a salt and bitter teare before thou canst bee reconciled againe And therefore to conclude in all these respects wee should bee carefull by all holy meanes to preserue our selues from sinne and not presume because God hath beene mercifull in forgiuing many great and grieuous sinners Before them all This is the maner of his deniall that hee doth it openly and publikely hee did not whisper it in the maides eare but spake it openly in the hearing of them all And this doth greatly aggrauate his sinne that hee is not afraid of a multitude of witnesses Hee is come to this passe that he careth not who heareth him denie his Master Doctr. These sinnes are most hainous that are openly committed Psal 139.12 Here then we may learne that as all sinnes are hainous so especially that which is openly and publikely committed The very sight and presence of men should somewhat keepe vs and restraine vs from sinne It is true that euen our most secret sinnes are odious in the sight of God because seeth them as well as if they were open For as Dauid saith The darkenesse hideth not from God Ier. 23.24 Psal 19.12 but the night shineth as the day the darkenesse and light to him are both alike he seeth as well at mid-night as at noone-day Neither can there be any place so secret wherein a man can hide his sinnes from the Lord. And therefore Hos 4.2 Jsa 3.9 Vultu morbum incessuque fatentur Iuuenal satyr 2. vnius cuiusque casus tantò maior ris est crim iniis quantò priusq is caderet maioris erit virtutis Bern. de conc aedif cap. 5 s 1 as Dauid prayeth for the pardon euen of his secret sinnes ackowledging that God could know and see sinnes in him when they could not see them himselfe But when mens sinnes breake out as the Prophet Hosea saith into the open vewe of the world and when once the triall of their countenance doth testifie against them when they are come to that height of impudency in sinning that they declare their sinnes as Sodome and hide them not then are their sins most odious The reason is because God thereby is most dishonored especially if they be professors of religion that doe offend For all that professe religion liue as it were vpon a stage where all men doe
of a steepe hill is caried with violence till it come to the bottome So when a man hath once giuen way to any sinne there is no hoe with him till he come to the bottome of hell vnlesse God pull him backe After that once the vigour and liuelyhood of the spirit was extinguished in the Apostle Peter if God had still left him to himselfe if a thousand seuerall persons had questioned with him about his Master he would haue denied him a thousand times Vse 1 This Doctrine serueth to admonish vs first to take diligent heede to our selues that we fall not into sinne least we bee caried headlong without stay Whose heart doth not quake and tremble to consider how farre the Apostle Peter hath fallen And who are we then that wee should presume of our owne strength There are some men that in a conceite of themselues will stint themselues how farre they will goe in the committing of sinne As they will go to the Alehouse and sit among good fellowes and drinke what they thinke good but they shall not all make them drunke But alas we see that many times for all these vaine bragges they are foulely and shamefully ouertaken ere they be aware Secondly we must pray earnestly to God to restraine the Vse 2 malice and rage of Satan and not to forsake vs ouer long Psal 119.8 51.12 as Dauid saith but to establish vs with a free spirit that we may not fall in this fearefull maner Otherwise if we by our carelesnesse and neglect of the good meanes which God hath sanctified do grieue and quench the holy spirit of God it shal be iust for the Lord euen to leaue vs ouer to the dominion of Satan to be held captiues of him and to bee caried headlong into all vngodlinesse Hetherto we haue heard the fearefull and lamentable fall of the Apostle Peter Now followeth his repentance and rising againe which with like diligence is also recorded by all the Euangelists for our comfort Wherein we are to consider 1. The occasions or the meanes of it 1. From without himselfe 1. Outward viz. The crowing of the Cocke 2. Inward viz. Christes looking back vpon him expressed Luke 22.61 2. From within himselfe but occasioned by the former viz. That hee remembred the words of Iesus c. 2. His Repentance it selfe 1. His preparation to it He went out of that wicked place 2. The maner of it Hee wept and that bitterly ANd immediately the Cocke crew This is the first meanes which God vseth for the repentance of the Apostle Peter For seeing in what a desperate state he stood he maketh hast to deliuer him He knew that if hee should haue continued in this case his heart would haue beene hardened by the deceitfulnesse of sinne Heb. 3.13 as the Apostle saith As it falleth out with the wicked who hauing once tasted the sweetnesse of sinne 1. Pet. 4.4 Ephes 4.19 doe violently runne to all excesse of riot and worke all vncleannesse euen with greedinesse And therefore the Lord being most carefull of his children delayeth no time but presently vseth all meanes to recouer them Doct. God will not suffer his children to perish in there sinnes Ezek. 18 31.32 33.11 From hence then we learne that God will not suffer his children to perish in their sinnes but endeauoureth to reclaime them This the Lord confirmeth by the Prophet Ezekiel saying Wby will ye dye O ye house of Israel For I desire not the death of him that dieth And hee bindeth it with an oath As I liue saith he I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and liue And our Sauiour Christ saith Luke 19 10. the Sonne of man came to seeke and to saue that which was lost Luke 1.79 And this we see first before their conuersion whiles they fitte as it were in darknesse and in the shadow of death the Lord in mercy visiteth them and giueth light vnto them and guideth their feete into the way of peace and causeth them to turne from the power of Satan vnto God Acts 26.18 Abraham a long while liued in grosse Idolatry in his Fathers house Gen. 12.1.4 euen till he were seuenty and fiue yeeres old But at the last the Lord in mercy called him out of his Contry and from his kindred brought him to the true knowledge of God Acts 9.1 The Apostle Paul before his conuersion was a grieuous enemy to the Church of God hee breathed out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord. But in the middest of his rage the Lord tooke pitty vppon him 2. and as he was furnished with authority from the high Priest 3.4 to bind all both men and women that were of that way so dainely Christ Iesus called vnto him from heauen and reclaimed him and made him of a bloudy and cruell persecutor a most excellent Apostle and a most painefull preacher of that faith which before he destroyed Gal. 1.22 Againe after their conuersion if through frailty they fall into sinne as God knoweth there is no man that sinneth not as Salomon confesseth in his prayer 1. Kings 8.46 at the dedication of the temple the Lord will not suffer them to lye along therin and as it were to sleepe in death but in his tender compassion and in the riches of his mercy he raiseth them vp againe As Dauid saith of the godly man Psalm 37.24 145.14 Though hee fall he shall not be cast off for the Lord putteth vnder his hand And againe The Lord vpholdeth all that fall and lifteth vp all that are ready to fall And this our Sauiour Christ doth teach vs plainely in the parable of the lost sheepe which the good shepheard will not suffer to perish Luke 15.4.5 nor to wander out of the way to destruction but hee leaueth the rest and as though all his care were onely for that which was lost hee goeth after it and seeketh it and when he hath found it he layeth it on his shoulders and bringeth it home with ioy For which cause Dauid prayeth vnto the Lord saying Psal 119.176 I haue gone astray like a lost sheepe seeke thy seruant And the Apostle Peter confesseth Gods goodnes to himselfe and others in this case We were saith he as sheepe going astray 1. Pet. 2.25 but are now returned to the shepheard and Bishop of our soules And thus the Lord dealeth with all his children Though he suffer them for a time to follow their owne fantasies and to walke after the desires of their owne hearts yet he forsaketh them not for euer but in his good time he stretcheth out his hand to helpe and succour them Hee suffered Peter to fall fearefully as we haue heard but with all speede hee raiseth him vp againe So he suffered Dauid to commit very hainous and horrible sinnes 2. Sam. 12.1 and to continue and lye
to inflict the punishment As the conscience of a man before hee commit sinne is a bridle to restraine him so when the deede is done it is a whip to lash and scourge him for it b Nulla paena grauior est praua conscientia proprijs agitata stimulis Bern. ibid. cap. 46. Gen. 3.8 Neither is there any punishment more grieuous then an ill conscience vexed with the owne stings But the miserie is so much the greater First because in this case a man hath no confidence in God he dare not goe with any boldnesse to the Throne of grace as the Apostle saith Heb. 4.16 to seeke for helpe in time of neede As a Traitour that hath offended his Prince dare not present him selfe before him but with feare and trembling so a sinner whose conscience telleth him hee hath offended God dare not with any comfort come in his sight As we see Adam and Euah when they had transgressed howsoeuer before the presence of God was most comfortable to them yet now they hid themselues and would not haue been found I heard thy voice in the garden saith Adam and I was afraid and therefore I hid my selfe So is it with al the Sonnes and Daughters of Adam So long as they carry about them a guiltie and an accusing conscience so long there is nothing but a fearefull expectation of iudgement and violent fire Heb. 10.27 Iob. 15.21 There is a sound of feare continually in his eares which doth afright him vnspeakeably For as the wiseman saith it is a fearefull thing Wisd 17.10.11 when malice is condemned by her owne testimonie and a conscience that is touched doth euer forecast cruell things For feare is nothing els but a betraying of the succours which reason offereth And hence is it that the wicked Apo. 6.15.16.17 though otherwise neuer so great in this world doe hide themselues in dennes and among the rockes of the mountaines and say to the mountrines and rockes Fall vpon vs and hide vs from the presence of him that sitteth vpon the throne and from the wrath of the Lambe For the great day of his wrath is come and who can stand They had rather be buried vnder a world of mountaines 1. Iohn 3.20 then once appeare before the presence of God And no maruell for as the Apostle saith If our heart condemne vs God is greater then our heart Tit. 3.11 and therefore will much more condemne vs. Secondly because hee hath no hope of any mercy from God For he sinneth being damned of his owne selfe If he be so seuere against himselfe much more will the Lord bee seuere Yea the guilt of his sinne pursueth him night and day as Dauid saith My sinne is alwayes before mee Psal 51.3 and therefore hee can hope for no mercy Thirdly because hee hath no peace but his conscience is euen the picture of hell according to that saying of the Prophet Isa The wicked are like the raging Sea that cannot rest whose waters cast vp mire and durt There is no peace saith my God to the wicked a Te conscientiae stimulant maleficiorum tuorum quocüque aspexissi vt furiae sic tuae tibi occurrunt iniuriae quae te respirare non sinunt Cicer. Paradox 2. Which way soeuer hee looketh his sinnes like so many furies of hell present themselues before him in fearefull shapes and will not suffer him to breath b Nec recipit somnos saepe cubilibus amens excutitur paenamque luit formidine paenae Claudian Nay hee cannot bee quiet in his bed which is the place of rest but many times starteth out of his sleepe with feare of vengeance For as Iob saith cap. 18.11 fearefulnesse maketh him afraide on euery side and driueth him to his feet so as many times hee fleeth when none pursueth him Prou. 28.1 Thus did Kain Gen. 4 14. restlesly pursue himselfe from place to place being vexed onely with the terrors of his owne conscience * Me fugio scelerum fugio conscium omnium Pectus manumque hanc fugio hoc caelum Deos dira fugio scelera quae feci nocens Sen. in Thebaid verba sunt Oedipi c. For this cause S. Agustine very fitly compareth an ill conscience to a brawling wise a Nolunt intrare dâ—mos suas qui habent malas vxores Jutraturi sunt enim ad taedia ad murmura ad amaritudines ad euersiones quia non est domus composita vbi inter virum vxoreÌ„ pax nulla est Si ergò miseri sunt qui cum redeunt ad parictes suos timent ne aliquibus suorum perturbationibus euertantur quaÌ„tò sunt miseriores qui ad conscientiam suam redire nolunt ne ibi litibus peccatorum euertantur Aâ—g in Ps 34 For men that haue such wiues haue no will to come into their owne houses For they shall come to irkesomenesse to scolding to griefe and to ruine for there is no quiet in the house where there is no peace betweene man and wife And therefore if they bee miserable that when they come to their owne houses are afraid to find molestation how much more miserable are they that dare not retire themselues into their conscience least they should bee disquieted with the strife and debate of their sinnes And last of all because hee hath no ioy nor comfort but the worme of conscience continually gnaweth and tormenteth his soule Isa 66.24 b Hic est vermis qui non moritur memoria praeteritorum Semel iniectus vel potius innatus per peccatuÌ„ hesit firmiter nequaquam deinceeps auellendus Bern. de consid lib. 5. Now this worme is nothing else but euen the remembrance of his former sinnes which being once bred in the conscience cleaueth so fast as it can neuer be remoued And this is that which the Apostle saith that wicked men doe peirce themselues thorow with many sorowes 1. Tim. 6.10 Which as it is said Prou. 17.22 dryeth vp the bones It may be sometimes they seeme to be merry whiles peraduenture their conscience is benummed c Est canis in molli stertens mens conscialecto Abrupto somno mordet acerba canis Sphinx aenigmat but God knoweth it is no sound mirth they reioyce in their faces and not in the heart 2. Cor. 5.12 It is but from the teeth outward when once their conscience is awaked then euen in laughing the heart is sorrowfull and the end of that mirth is heauinesse Prou. 14.13 d Heu quantum misero paene mens conscia donat Lucan Nil est miserius quam animus hominis malè conscius Plaut in Mostell So fearefull a thing is it for a man to bee afflicted with a guilty conscience And no maruell for they behold the angrie countenance of God and apprehend his intollerable indignation and displeasure against them for their sinnes Salomon saith of the wrath of an earthly King that it is as messengers of death